 The
first game of the Zimbabwe tri-series will see India take on Zimbabwe at
Bulawayo. The third side in the tournament is Sri Lanka and the three sides will
meet each other twice before the top two sides clash again in the final.
India goes into the low-profile tournament at the back of an embarrassing Super
Eights exit, brought about by their failure to win a single game in the second
round. However, rather interestingly, and correctly at that, India has rested
all of its main guys, which means that Suresh Raina will be the captain,
and the other seniors to remain in the side are the likes of Virat Kohli, Dinesh
Karthik, Rohit Sharma and Yusuf Pathan.
Click for Live Score Card of Zimbabwe Vs India
For the likes of Pathan and Sharma, this could just be the last series in which
they need to perform, before they are dumped for a considerable period of time
when the seniors come back. Both have been afforded ample opportunities, but
have failed to catch hold of them, and this is the time when they will look
to get more consistent.
The Indian pace attack has a new-look about it as well. Team India has gone
in the tour with four fast bowlers, and they are Ashok Dinda, Pankaj Singh,
Vinay Kumar and Umesh Yadav. Vinay Kumar was a part of the side in the previous
tournament in the West Indies, whereas a lot has been spoken about Yadav, who
has the pace and the ability to surprise the batsmen with the same. He was one
of the picks of the bowlers in the IPL was Yadav, and will be one of the men
to watch out for.
All in all, the team that I think will form the playing eleven for India in
this game is, Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, Naman Ojha, Kohli, Pathan,
Sharma, Mishra, Jadeja, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda.
As compared to that, Zimbabwe does not possess the firepower to test
the opposition but India will do well to realise that it will not augur too
well to underestimate the side. The hosts also have a new captain in Elton Chigumbura,
after Prosper Utseya had resigned from the post, and that, by itself will be
a test for the Zimbabweans.
The rest of the side has a similar look about them, with the inclusion of Andy
Blignaut and Brendan Taylor providing that edge to the batting. India goes in
as favourites, but will be tested by that short ball by Zimbabwe.
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